Gibraltar
none conventional short form: Gibraltar
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
Gibraltar as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a 1967 referendum, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.
Geography
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
17 fieldsLocation
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.)
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater
Geography - note
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Religions(1991)
Age structure
0-14 years: 18.73% (male 2,652; female 2,528) 15-64 years: 66.33% (male 9,473; female 8,866) 65 years and over: 14.94% (male 1,733; female 2,397) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.09 years male: 76.23 years female: 82.1 years (2001 est.)
Government
NA; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief David DURIE (since 5 April 2000)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
House of Assembly, 15 seatsone dot, one seat
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief David DURIE (since 5 April 2000);
- note - DURIE was appointed in February 2000 but took office in April 2000 head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister;
- note - there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none;
- the monarch is hereditary;
- governor appointed by the monarch;
- chief minister appointed by the governor
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7
Political parties and leaders
Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Chamber of Commerce;
- Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
- Housewives Association
Flag description
- two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;
- hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
Economy
Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center.
32 fieldsElectricity
Economy - overview
Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 20% of GDP; tourism (almost 6 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue.
In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.
Budget
revenues: $307 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)
Industries
- tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing;
- support to large UK naval and air bases;
- tobacco, mineral water, beer, canned fish
Exchange rates
- Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996);
- note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone;
- microwave radio relay;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 669,056 GRT/1,003,809 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, chemical tanker 6, container 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military
British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
2 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Gibraltar.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gibraltar/2001.